A String of Hope
by midnight07
Summary: Not until the thinnest string breaks",Sakura Haruno would never give up on anything;but losing her Dad and brother almost made her to.Now,she's given a chance to find herself one last time.But what if LOVE,hatred& deception,confront her?Can she hold on?
1. Chapter 1

A STRING OF HOPE

By _**midnight07**_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! His Greatness, Masashi Kishimoto, ruleZzzz!

Chapter 1: THE MEETING

Everything happens for a reason...

and we seek to understand them every time.

Believe me, some things are better left undiscovered...

After all...reason couldn't fathom the ambiguity of _**fate**_...of _**destiny.**_

_midnight07_

_Flashback_

" _Miss Sakura please calm down, the Lord isn't in a good mood today. I think it's better to set that matter aside for a moment or else… Mr. Tanaka said calmly halting me from entering my grandfather's office._

"_Or else what, 0ji-san?" I said blankly._

"_Please Miss Sakura, don't call me that way." he quickly uttered. "As I was saying, the Lord may be angered if you…"_

"_I don't care... He can curse me as much as he wants to. Open the damned door and stand aside Oji-san or I'll kick this door into pieces!" I stated with irritation and anger in my voice. _

_ Mr. Tanaka was clearly taken aback by my rude words. "Please…Miss Sa-…"_

"_Let her in Jiro!" a cold and commanding voice coming from the other side of the office door said. _

_ I stormed immediately into the room and faced the very man I loathed--- the business tycoon whom almost everyone feared and bowed to---the father who banished his own son---the monster who sent my brother away… "You! What did you do to my brother? Where is he ?!" I howled with much contempt._

"_It's been a year since I took you in but you still haven't learned Sakura. You're manners are still as crude as your mother's." he said. _

"_Yes, it's been a year and I still hate you, and maybe I'll hate you even more! Don't you dare slur my mom, old man…I swear you'll regret it!" I barked. "Now tell me where my brother is."_

"_Is that how Yojiro taught you in treating your grandfather?Huh?! Such impertinent children…After all the things I've done to keep you out from that slum, now I get this?!Really now, I knew it would be best if you and your good-for nothing- brother won't see each other. You two are a pair of mischief!"_

_ And that was it… "Yamero! Don't get my father into this! We never asked anything from you. Let me remind you Haruno –__**sama**__, you forced me and my brother to leave Midori through your wicked schemes. I know you hate us just as much as you hated our parents and I don't exactly know what you're planning to do. But never expect me to follow you like an idiotic minion, because I might as well die than beg you to keep me! _

"_Miss Sakura!" Oji-san said pleading me to calm down. _

" _Hn. You almost sound like Yojiro, Sakura. But you should've known better when to act brave and when to leave well enough alone. You should've learned from what happened to your father."_

"_I did learn a lot from your son, and one thing is to NEVER TRUST YOU." I remarked sarcastically._

"_Is that so?" He stood up from his chair walking towards me. "Trust…indeed is a fragile thing to be given away easily. But my dear granddaughter, "trusting me" is something you should live with from now on... or else you'll never see your precious brother ever again" He sneered._

"_What the fuck are you driving at?"_

"_Let's have a deal…" _

Things don't always go the way we want them to be. At some point in our lives we would wish for something big for ourselves, but would end up hurting instead. A special someone told me, "Til you have that thinnest string of courage and hope, you'll always have a chance to make your dreams real even if fate denies you again and again." I did believe in him…that's why I grew up to be a very optimistic person--- always seeing life on the brighter side, believing that for every negative thing that happens God has a very good reason for allowing it…

Well, that was me before the accident. I was still the same 17-year old Sakura Haruno that my friends from the little town of Midori knew---the same simple, cheerful, positive, smart, easy-to-please, transparent, sporty, clumsy, sickly, GHOST-phobic freak gal…but after that incident I felt I was a little LESS of myself than before. I dunno…A year after my Daddy died leaving me and my brother all alone, I nearly believed_"..the thinnest string of courage and hope…" _was just a piece of rotting crap.

My mom died when she gave birth to me. Daddy told me it took him weeks before he could finally look at me without feeling regret and loneliness. I wouldn't blame him because he had every right to do so. I was the one who took away the person he loved more than his own life—the woman whom he left everything for. But then, as much as he loved my mom, Daddy realized he loved me the same way. From then on he took care of me—guiding and protecting. I always wanted to be a doctor and though we're not rich, dad never doubted I'll become one someday. Life was simple and happy with him and nii-chan by my side… I had contentment.

All I ever dreamed was to give my family a better life… but then…he's gone…And nii-chan--- who's all I have left…dad's hell-of-a-father sent him away. The reason? Well, it's pretty bullshit to be told…

I'd been talking to Daddy ever since. Yeah, pathetic me. I almost lost to sorrow and sulk into the darkness, hating myself, but talking to Dad and nii-chan as if they're really in front of me brings back my sanity. I swore in front of Dad's grave that I'd be a brave and strong girl and live a purposeful life. I promised nii-chan that I'd never cry pathetically for myself…never again…

Both of them weren't there anymore to protect me, that's why I'd have to protect myself. I wouldn't give in to my evil grandfather's scheming tactics…He might be rich and sly, but poor people never fall back without a fight.

I kept on telling myself , "Nii-chan, I'll find you soon enough…"

Just as the wind drifting from the taxi's window blew strands of hair falling from my baseball cap, I whispered, _"unless the thinnest string breaks, I'll never give up."_

Little did I know that on the same day I broke free from my grandfather's clutches, I would be taking a harder path…a path that would reveal things I never imagined to ever happen--- uncovering emotions I never wished I'd feel--- making me ask for more than what God had originally planned for me… That day--- I came to Konoha Academy.

I looked out the window and there before me was the main gate of Konoha Academy, my "doorway to the future"… Yeah, and it's quite a huge door I must say… 30 meters huh? The metal doors automatically opened and the cab driver made its way through it.

"Uhm, excuse me mister, I'm Haruno Sakura a transfer student from Midori High."

The man I talked to whom I assumed as the gatekeeper was wearing a green vest and a forehead protector. He looked at me curiously and said. "Midori High? Never heard of that school. Elite kids from Japan and foreign transfer students come to Konoha. You don't seem like a foreigner to me. Which family are you from?"

"_**What is this, the Ellen Degeneres show?!…" **_Well if I was dumb enough to start my own hell in this school I would've said, _"Midori High is a public school exclusively for highly intelligent people of the human race. But since you're dumb, naturally, you wouldn't have heard anything about it!" _ But since I preferred to be pretty smart and polite I simply said, "My school is a town's school. But I applied for scholarship in Konoha Academy. Luckily, I got in. Can you please tell me where the Principal's office is?"

The man seemed content with my answer, and told me to go to the main building. I thanked him and asked the driver to move straight ahead. The main building had an archetypal design but it's kinda cool coz the Fire symbol stands tall at the top of it. I went out of the cab bringing my luggage with me. I scanned the environment. _**"Woah! This school is indeed a lot bigger than my previous school!"**_

Students were everywhere so I guessed classes had not yet started. Some people were not minding me as I stood in front of the Administrator's building. Well, I mean, who would? I was wearing a black baseball cap (I was hiding my friggin hair, you see!), a red Tazmanian shirt, a knee-length brown pedal shorts and a pair of red converse high-cut shoes, then I had these two BIG travel bags with me. I looked more like a short Japanese boy in junior high going to a convention or something…

I did say "some" ,didn't I? You see, there were others checking me out (not in a perverted way you sicko). I was thinking, they were thinking, I was weird. Got it? Not that I cared, but it really freaked me out when people pay attention to me especially that I was new. So no matter how much _"I loved seeing the pine trees scatter the sun's light rays" ,_ I believed meeting the principal at that point would be better.

From the ground, I pulled my bags and climbed up the stairs going to the front offices of the building to check out that of the Principal's. The bags were really heavy but I managed to climb six steps. I looked back to the ground area. "My, my, that was only six steps but I feel like I've been doing this forever…" With a few inhales and exhales I held on to my bags. "One more step to go!…" But then I didn't see someone was going down the stairs too. I lifted my two HUGE bags full force in such a way that when I turned around I hit the boy, and both of us came rolling down the stairs!...with my poor bags of course…

" Ouch…this really sucks…" I muttered in pain. "Wait!Where's that guy?" I looked around to see him still lying on the ground. "Hey, are you hurt? Gomenasai, it was my bad… Hontoni, gomen…" I said worriedly.

The guy propped himself up on his elbows and was not badly injured (except for a few scratches). Actually I wasn't more aware of his condition than I was with his face. From the moment he opened his obsidian eyes and stroked his ebony hair…Woah! I was really DUMBFOUNDED…

Ticktockticktock…

After 1 minute and 59 seconds…

"Uhm, hey, you a-alright?" _**Gosh, why am I stuttering?**_

"You…." he said as those eyes stared intently to my emerald ones.

What could I say? The sound of his deep voice sent shivers along my spine. For the first time, my brain was completely shitty!

"Huh?" I began. "Don't worry I'm alright."

He stood up and glowered at my kneeling form.

_** Wait…GLOWERED? **_

"You messed my favorite shirt." he said.

Then it hit me…._**WHAT THE HECK?! **_

_** Looks like I'm in for a BIG trouble…BIGGER than my freakin bags! **_

A/N Hey there! This is my first fanfic. I don't expect people to like it. My grammar sucks…I just wanna know your opinion about it so feel free to criticize, scrutinize and mock my work. If you're too lazy to type…please, a word may do. Do tell me if I should continue this fic or not…tanxtanx


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: BITTERSWEET BEGINNING

A/N "What?"--normal dialogue

"**_What?_**"-- Sakura's thoughts

"Conviction. Principle. Dignity. Men.

Clash. War. Agony. Suffering.

The whirlpool goes on and on, but still nobody had truly emerged victorious."

I stood up and looked around. People were coming around the two of us, and I heard some whispering… _"Who's this girl? No that's a boy… What's this kid doing here? How dare he push Sasuke-kun off the stairs? Kneel and beg you brat, hah!"_

"_**What's with these people?!**__**And this guy, WE COULD'VE DIED FOR WHAT HAPPENED BUT ALL HE CAN THINK OF IS HIS FRIGGIN' SHIRT!! **_

_** Okay, I was exaggerating…we barely had injuries. Gosh that was only six steps. **_

_** No. I'm not gonna ruin my chances in this school just for this. C'mon Sakura, stay calm…calm…calm…ca…**_

_** BUT, I REALLY WANNA KICK HIM FOR BEING AN ASS!!!"**_

"Grrr."

"What are you doing? I said you messed my shirt." I heard him say irritably.

"_**CRAP! DID HE ACTUALLY HEAR ME ROARING? THAT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE IN MY MIND!"**_

"Eh? Ano…uh…grrr….GREAT!

"Great? Are you nuts?" he said looking at me sharply.

"I mean it's GREAT that we're both fine…yeah, that's it." Whew! I could feel my adrenaline and cortisol rising to my brain but I kept on repeating the calming mantra to myself. Good that it worked. "Look, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to drag you down the stairs."

I stepped a bit closer to him and held my hand out but he just stared at it oddly.

"_**Oh…DIRT…that's why he wouldn't take "**_…I wiped the dust off my hand and extended it to him once more smiling. "Hajimemashite, I'm Haruno S…"

"Kneel." He said flatly cutting me out.

I was a bit surprised. "No, not _Neil_. I might look like a boy but I'm actually a girl. My name is Haruno Sak—."

"_**WAIT…He can't be…"**_

I looked at him. Still, he looked so calm but I sensed an aura of authority. "You're not actually asking me to kneel down, are you?"

He smirked. "Kneel down. Beg…"

People howled and laughed but they mattered less 'coz his words echoed through my mind making my whole system engage to AUTOPILOT….

dududududun….

I hit him hard on the face leaving a bruise on his left cheek! For sure he didn't see it coming coz he didn't move an inch to dodge my attack. By then the "_audience"_ was hollering at me and murmuring things like _"Did the kid really hit the Uchiha?" "She's dead." " How dare she do that?!" _but I could care less. HE DESERVED IT!

"You…"was all he said but his piercing eyes told me **"Run now or I'll skin you alive!" **

But believe me I wasn't a bit scared. I was too mad that I glared at him as much as I could trying to communicate with my eyes telling him **"Run now or I'll skin you alive TOO! (100x)". **

" I said I was sorry and I meant it. But… I'm taking that back now. You don't need it anyway…YOU RUDE, INSOLENT, OVERCONFIDENT, IMPUDENT, ILL-MANNERED, CHICKEN-BUTT- HAIRED MONSTROUS BRAT!!!" I said those words with blazing fury that I ended up huffing and puffing like a wild rhino (I didn't care!).

The boy was still glued on his spot seemingly unaffected. The small crowd around us would think the same, but I knew much better. I saw him raise his eyebrow a bit and when I read his eyes (yes, one of my special skills) I could see arrogance, irritation, annoyance, anger, and…was that amusement? Nevermind. The point was, my words hit him (even a bit)…and he was …

For less than a minute, we just stood there and glared at each other ( though I was the only one glaring and he was wearing this poker face). Then suddenly he walked to me crossing the _**personal**_ boundary line! He stood really close that I could smell his perfume (and he smelled really goOOOOOD! Urgh, erase erase erase). Then I was stunned, because he leaned closer and….. and…… and……………………………………………………………………………………….

"_**What is he doing!?"**_

KRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGG….. The bell.

…and I _**thought **_he was gonna kiss me.(Yeah, I was a lil bit perverted you know!) And if he really did that he'd fly 50 meters for sure! (or not?) But instead, in a low and threatening tone he whispered, _"You'll regret this day."_

As he turned his back and went away I could only let my eyes follow. I couldn't understand, but the way he got so close to me and hearing his voice in a whisper definitely had an impact on me. I couldn't explain the feeling….scared, wordless, anxious? I wasn't sure, but whatever it was I knew I should be careful around that guy. He was blatantly threatening me. Sure, _poor people don't fall back without a fight_, but I couldn't afford getting into another trouble---_not at that time._

"_**My, my. First day shouldn't have been so stressful. Now what? Going scaredy-cat again? Nah, I'll just have to face this. But I hope we don't see each other again in this HUMUNGOUS campus. Yeah, that's right. This place is enormous man! So we have lesser chances to meet! Whew!"**_

As the crowd slowly dispersed I took my bags once again and strenuously climbed up the stairs to the Administrator's Building. "I hope I don't get into another trouble this time."

I was scanning the offices on the first floor, "Hmm…Principal's office… Principal's office… Principal's…." when suddenly the door opened and I got hit right in front of the face! _**"Shit! Not again!"**_

"Oi, are you alright?" a voice asked.

"Shid, by dose is bleeting…" I muttered while covering my nose.

"Nani?" he (yes, it's a guy) knelt to the ground and tried to look at my face.

"I'b bleeting…"I said again.

"Holy cow, your nose is bleeding!"the guy said forcing me to look up.

_** "Hello, are you even listening to me!"**_

"Uh, troublesome. C'mon let me see it." He took my hand away from my face, and as he did so, I looked at him closely. _**"YOU ARE…."**_My eyes shot wide open upon seeing the person kneeling before me. "SHIKAMARU?!" I took my cap off and let my pastel pink hair flow freely past my shoulders. "It's me!"

Shikamaru seemed too shocked to even move. He wasn't expecting to see me either. "Sakura?" he finally said still unbelievingly.

I nodded like a puppy and smiled childishly. "Uhuh-uhuh…it's really me! I can't believe this. I mean, I really didn't expect to see you! Not after 3 years!" I almost shouted.

"Yeah, it's been 3 years since we moved. And we haven't had any communication for a year now, after your dad passed a…uhm..left."he said calmly with a bit of hesitation in his voice.

"Yes, it's been a while…after what happened, we also moved out of Midori. It's been quite hard and I didn't want to drag my friends into my mess." I said chortling awkwardly.

Shikamaru hit my head. "Ouch!" I complained. He then patted my hair like he does to a puppy. "I should be mad at you, you know that? I WAS your bestfriend in case you've forgotten." he stressed the word WAS evidently that I suddenly felt guilt within me.

"We still ARE bestfriends, aren't we? I looked at him pleadingly.

"No way!" he rolled his eyeballs girlishly.

"Huh? C'mon Shikamaru, I know it's my fault, and I'm really really really sorry!"

He glared at me. At that moment I wished the ground would break open and just swallow me. I was really about to cry when Shikamaru suddenly laughed HARD… "HAHAHA, YOU'RE STILL A CRY BABY AREN'T YOU?!" He was clutching his stomach and waving his hand, "I was just kidding Saku."

"YOU!" I punched and bit his shoulder that he shrieked in pain.

"Awww…." he touched the spot were I hit him. "Still the same old RABID Sakura…"

"Hrmph."

He held his hand up in defeat. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He then held out his hanky and gave it to me. "You look gross, so wipe your nose." I did as I was told but looked at him fiercely. "Sorry, I just can't help teasing you. I missed you Saku." he said smiling.

"You could've said that earlier, so I needn't have to go RABID!" I said tauntingly as I finished wiping my nose. Both of us then laughed just like the old times.

Shikamaru and I had been friends since we were 5. He was like an older brother to me just like my real nii-chan. He would look after me all the time---protecting me from bullies, sharing me his lunch, helping me with assignments, copying notes for me every time I got hospitalized (usually, he didn't copy lectures), walking me home to make sure I was safe. He did all those stuff and many others for me…only for me…because if you still don't understand Shikamaru is the LAZIEST person in the world! But I loved him for that (brotherly love, you know).

But when I turned 8, I realized I couldn't just depend on the people around me all the time. I didn't want to be a burden anymore, though I was born as one. I tried to do things my way. I learned karate, joined in various sports, excelled in academics and other stuff. Before I knew it, I was the top student in my class. Yeah, the genius, FREAKY, Haruno Sakura. But I didn't mind being ridiculed by others. They could laugh and hate me for all I care, as long as they didn't get my family and friends involved.

"Hey, are you sure you don't want to go to the clinic?" Shikamaru asked.

"Nah, I'm fine. I need to see the Principal now so I can get my schedule and know my dorm assignment."

"Still being a diligent student eh?"

"Cut it out, will you? It's been a week since classes started and I need to catch up. We reached the office at the rightmost end of the building----the Principal's office. "By the way thanks for helping me with my bags. Aren't you late for your class? Guess I'll see you around later."

"It's really quite troublesome helping out, but you're an exception."

"Hehe…I know. Thanks again, bro?" I said the last word in a questioning manner.

He patted my head again and said grinning, "No probz. Bro." (it was awkward for him to call me sis!)

I was happy to know that even if we hadn't seen or talked for a long time Shikamaru remained to be my best friend. Sure he was a lazy guy, but he's smart (totally), dependable, sweet (in his own way), a gentleman (yes, absolutely), and his pineapple hair made him kinda cool. I knew he had met a lot of new friends and drooling girls too, but some things really never change. I could feel that we still share this unique bond---more than friends but less than a couple. And we wanted it that way.

Honestly, Shikamaru and I tried going out when I was 13. That happened after I was hospitalized again. He said he wanted to take care of me. He said that he liked me more than just a friend. I was feeling weird at that instance; I didn't know what to say. But admittedly, I knew Shikamaru is good person and he wouldn't do anything to hurt me so we gave it a try. So, I became an official teenager, and a _dating_ one at that. The relationship was kinda young…funny and awkward. Later on, we both realized that the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship didn't suit us at all. What we felt for each other was more of brotherly and sisterly love. He wanted to take care of me because he was the only one among my friends who knew about my _illness_. He felt kind of responsible for me trusting him my secret. In the same way, I wanted to stay with him because he was the only person aside from my dad and nii-chan whom I could trust. We complemented each other in a unique way. TWINS…that's more like it.

I almost thought my encounter with the hateful brat was a bad omen. Something good turned out after all. "I'm not alone. I have dad, nii-chan, Shikamaru, and You." I said to myself. "Lord, thanks a lot." After taking a deep breath, I pushed the wooden door and entered the Principal's office.

A/N Konnichiwa mina-san. This is my second chapter. Got no reviews for the first one, and I felt a bit disapppointed. Nevertheless, I'd like to thank **XLoveXFallsXToXAshes** for adding me to her favorite story and **.Angel **for the story alert. I was thinking you might had accidentally clicked the wrong buttons! Even so, I still thank you. haha Still, for those who might read my story by chance... puhleeese... do give me a review.. a word will do. Positive or negative comments will be both appreciated. I really want to know what others think about my work. If you'll say it's a crap..fine..watever..just key it in...onegaishimasu! If you still want me to continue this fic, please send me a review so i'll know. arigatou.


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